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From on-track Ray Tracing to unprecedented detail with 8K, discover how EA Sports and Codemasters utilize the groundbreaking PS5 Pro technology to make F1 24 look and play better. Si Lumb, Technical Producer at Codemasters, shares insight into what players can expect when playing F1 24 on PS5 Pro — plus, more details about Season 4 and an upcoming Free-Play trial. Enhanced for PS5 Pro, F1 24 takes full advantage of the console’s exclusive technologies and improved graphical capabilities depending on the display option players choose in the settings menu. “PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) allows us to push a Ray Traced image to 4K without sacrificing image quality in Quality Mode,” says Si. “The increased power in the PS5 Pro’s GPU gives us the ability to double the 120Hz resolution in Performance Mode, and with some clever re-ordering of the frame, we have even managed to put the 32 Million pixels of 8K at 60Hz in Resolution Mode.” Whilst Ray Tracing is available on PS5 in F1 24 race replays, the power of the PS5 Pro enables this technology during on-track racing when selecting Quality Mode. “Ray Tracing allows us to simulate light to enhance realism, making reflections, shadows, and lighting more lifelike. These enhancements result in a more photorealistic experience, especially on the glossy and mirror-like chassis of the cars, the undulating and detailed track terrain, or the varied circuit surroundings. This is even more prominent in wet conditions, where reflections from puddles or shiny surfaces play a significant role in the immersion.” In a first for EA Sports, the PS5 Pro F1 24 enhancements enable 8K/60Hz support when using a compatible display in Resolution Mode. All 25 circuits in the game are improved both on and off the track, and with variable weather and time of day options for each, players are bound to discover a new favorite in 8K/60Hz. “For the ultimate showcase of 8K visuals, I’d recommend Spa Francorchamps at sunset in clear weather. The elevation changes and dense foliage at Spa, combined with the incredible detail and depth offered by 8K, make for a visually stunning experience. The track’s sweeping corners and long straights will show off the high pixel count, while the dynamic lighting and shadows give you a real sense of immersion as the light shifts across the circuit.” By leveraging the power of the PS5 Pro to work in harmony with F1 24’s EGO Engine, the development team plans to push the limits of graphical performance for future releases. “We’ve learned a lot from this release, and the groundwork laid in F1 24 will help us take even greater advantage of the PS5 Pro’s power in the future. We’re especially interested in expanding our use of technologies like PSSR across more modes and further optimizing our Ray Tracing and high frame rate features. As we continue to push the limits of the EGO engine, we look forward to delivering even more groundbreaking advancements in upcoming F1 titles.” No matter which graphical mode players choose, the PS5 Pro enhancements result in noticeable differences throughout the game when you load up F1 24 for the first time. “Whether it’s increased clarity in the Performance Mode, the sharper details and more immersive visuals of our new 8K Resolution Mode, or the dramatic improvements to lighting and reflections—thanks to Ray Tracing—in Quality Mode, each adds to the realism, immersion, and scale in bringing the sport of F1 to life on your screen.” For F1 24’s Season 4, players across all PlayStation platforms can race to unlock a number of new customization items, with one such item being fit for a champion. Plus, a new Pro Challenge at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas featuring Oscar Piastri, and a selection of Race Scenarios, including a pair from Abu Dhabi 2021, each with rewards usable throughout the game. Keep an eye out for the full reveal on November 19. For those yet to pick up F1 24, there’s no better time, as from November 21-24, F1 24 will be free to download and play, with the opportunity to test drive the entire game, including its PS5 Pro features alongside a double XP period for Podium Pass. Everything from the revamped Career mode through to the thrilling multiplayer will be available, with all progress made carrying over to the full game. View the full article

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Hello, Stellar Blade fans! Thank you for your continued love and support. Stellar Blade’s journey was fueled by your passion, and our fans motivated us to face every challenge. We are excited to share two special announcements with you today. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Collaboration with Nier:Automata The moment you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived! A fantastic collaboration where the worlds of Stellar Blade and Nier:Automata meet. Nier:Automata significantly inspired Stellar Blade. The collaboration between Director Kim Hyung Tae and Director Yoko Taro, marked by mutual respect and creativity, led to this successful outcome. In the center of all this is Emil (voiced by Maii Kadowaki), the strange character from Nier:Automata. Emil’s Shop makes a surprise appearance in the world of Stellar Blade where eleven different collaboration-special items will be available. Items that intertwine the best of both games, leading you to a more enriched world. Click! More fun with Photo Mode View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image You can now transform each moment in the game into your personal masterpiece. Beautiful landscape, thrilling battles, those emotional moments with the characters… Capture these moments to your heart’s content. Meticulous camera work and various filters allow you to create unique looks. Go through different poses to discover new looks that you never knew Eve and her comrades had. Share these photographs of special moments to enjoy a new kind of amusement. Patch updates you shouldn’t miss Four new costumes and one new accessory are added to bring more personality to the characters. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image The new accessory, ‘Symbol of Legacy’ changes the appearance and presentation of the Tachy Mode when equipped. Revitalize your gaming experience with updated cosmetics. Also, lip-sync support for six additional languages (French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Latin American Spanish) will let you enjoy the vivid dialogues even more. Your camp break just got more fun—you can now pick a specific song from the turntable to listen to. We also expanded character customization for Eve and added a “No Ponytail” feature to the list from Ponytail Length. More fun is added to battle. Auto-targeting and ballistics correction features will be applied to the enemy insta-kill skills. This will make the already intense and dynamic battles even more exciting. Paying back for all your support This DLC and patch updates were prepared by our dev team with one heart and one mind, and we are absolutely delighted to share this with you. We hope that the Nier:Automata collaboration items and the new Photo Mode will bring more joy to your gameplay. We will continue to do our best to keep up with the anticipation and love our players show us. Stellar Blade updates arrive on PlayStation 5 on November 20, 2024. Prepare for an exciting new adventure. View the full article

LEGO Horizon Adventures, launching on PS5 and PC November 14, brings about a new take on Aloy’s story from her first adventure. Guerrilla and Studio Gobo met with The LEGO Group at their headquarters in Billund, and shared a few behind-the-scenes insights on creating the game. Watch the full video here and continue reading to find out how they built Aloy’s world, one brick at a time! Play Video Senior Producer at Studio Gobo, Kat Woolley, talks about what it’s like to work on a LEGO game and how the story was adapted to fit this playful adventure. “There’s a layering of talent, passion, creativity and just joy – there’s such joy in working on a LEGO game, and especially something like Horizon where there is an effort to bring something quite serious from the world of Horizon over to LEGO Horizon Adventures. We needed to give it that element of funny, of light-hearted, of silly, of play.” “Horizon is all about the mystery of the origins, especially for Aloy. It’s something we tried to replicate in LEGO Horizon Adventures where every character is on their quest for finding a family, building a home and making connections with each other in the story of LEGO Horizon Adventures,” Guerrilla’s Design Director, Stephane Varrault, explains. Creating the world Everything you come across in LEGO Horizon Adventures is made entirely out of real LEGO bricks, so if you have the right pieces at home, you could rebuild anything from the world, including the machines, the treasure chests, and Mother’s Heart! Guerrilla’s Senior World Artist, Lucas Bolt explained, “The world of Horizon Zero Dawn is filled with incredible natural landscapes; it’s one of the core pillars of the game so that’s something that we also had to create for LEGO Horizon Adventures.” “You can see how everything is made, all the little details, all the little LEGO elements that were used to bring things to life,” Joe Kyde, Senior Model Designer at The LEGO Group, adds. Roy Postma, Art Director at Guerrilla, goes on to explain the process of visualizing and developing the Horizon world in LEGO form, “We started out in a very realistic way, by rebuilding the original Old World buildings from the Horizon games… Then someone sneaked in an official LEGO set in the background, I believe it was the LEGO gas station, and we were looking at it like ‘ah this can work, this is fun!’ It totally made sense for the Old World to be our LEGO world.” Making the machines “My favorite part of the machine design process is seeing the builds just develop,” says Joe. “How they naturally evolve from early versions, teams working together to figure out how to solve specific problems, how to get the movement we want, how to get the specific look we want.” “Throughout development, we started by imagining what a LEGO version of each machine would actually look like,” says Studio Gobo’s Game Design Lead, Toño Gonzalaz, with Stephane adding, “For every machine, we looked at the traits of the machine, how it would behave in the game, and how can we make it work best with all the LEGO bricks?” One of the machines featured in LEGO Horizon Adventures is the Shell-Walker, a crab-like machine responsible for carrying cargo to various cauldrons found in the world. “With the Shell-Walker it really came down to its personality,” says Toño. “It’s always trying to defend its cargo, so at the end of the day, the Shell-Walker feels like a mean, defensive machine, but at the same time in a funny way.” Designing machines with LEGO bricks did not differ too much from how Guerrilla created them originally, as The LEGO Group’s Creative Lead, Frédéric Andre, explains, “We wanted to recreate the machine as detailed as possible, so you start with the skeleton of the machine and then you add all the details into it. That’s also how Guerrilla creates their own machines: they have the skeleton and then they add all the armor plating and everything on top of that.” “All machines have their own unique, particular personalities and attacks that they do. They’re very different from one another, so when players are fighting combinations of them it creates really interesting, wacky, fun and creative combat,” Toño smiles. Customize everything The customization is a way for players to express themselves in a fun and charming way, including outfits from Aloy’s first adventure in LEGO form, or from existing LEGO sets that you may have at home! Stephane explains: “One of our main pillars in the game is player freedom, which is why we built systems where no combat is the same, but also why we wanted to provide really open ways to customize your characters and the world. For example, we really wanted Mother’s Heart to be a reflection of players’ creativity to recreate the village of their dreams.” Kat gives her view on how some of the outfits found in LEGO Horizon Adventures can completely change the vibe of a cutscene or conversation between characters. “It takes what can sometimes be quite serious conversations and just makes them ridiculous if you’re dressed as a pig or as a llama.” “As soon as we realized that the customization options still felt like a quintessential Horizon experience, and that it worked within the game world, it made it feel more free and more fun.” Bringing it all together It was pivotal that the co-op experience of LEGO Horizon Adventures worked well to allow players to bounce off each other’s actions and work together to tackle the wilds. “We wanted players to play together and to get in trouble together,” shares Toño, and Stephane continues, “being able to get together, either on the same tv or online, you are now two players, two actors in the same world and that one is responding to your inputs and your actions, so it was the perfect addition to make the experience shine.” Whether you’re already familiar with Aloy’s journey, or if this is the first time you’re jumping into the franchise; we can’t wait for everyone’s fun character combinations and combat sequences once LEGO Horizon Adventures releases on November 14. View the full article

Greetings, Travelers! Genshin Impact Version 5.2 “Tapestry of Spirit and Flame” is arriving on November 20, and today we’re excited to introduce two new Natlan tribes, the Flower-Feather Clan and Masters of the Night-Wind. By recruiting their elite warriors Chasca and Ororon or transforming into their Saurian companions, you may learn to command the power of the skies to move and fight in mid-air. Using the skills of our new and familiar Saurian companions, we can also venture to the ancient, ruined city of Ochkanatlan, that towers into the clouds northwest of the two new tribes, the Flower-Feather Clan and Masters of the Night-Wind. At the same time, a mysterious incident has occurred in the Masters of the Night-Wind, which you can investigate together with Citlali and Ororon as part of the main seasonal event in the upcoming new version. Soar and Explore Like the Saurians The Saurians we’ve encountered so far have helped us traverse the challenging landscapes of Natlan with ease. Today, we would like to introduce you to two new species: Qucusaurs and Iktomisaurs, which will allow us to further expand our capabilities of exploration — to maneuver in mid-flight and to reveal what remains invisible to the naked eye. Qucusaurs are the proudest of Natlan’s Saurians and consider themselves the kings of the sky. They once patrolled the entire Natlan region alongside the best riders of the Flower-Feather Clan. Qucusaurs are capable of gliding at full speed over long distances. They can dart through the wind in accelerated gliding mode, but also use Phlogiston to gain altitude or perform horizontal rolls in mid-flight. Unlike Qucusaurs’ ability to travel long distances, Iktomisaurs can perform vertical leaps and reach great heights. In addition, these wise Saurians also possess a unique sight that allows them to detect things that would normally remain hidden. It is said that the great Iktomisaur Elder has served as a guide for the Masters of the Night Wind for generations, so your Iktomisaur companion and their exceptional sight can also guide you on the trail of secrets buried behind these glowing markings and graffiti. By activating this sight, they can draw energy from Phlogiston-infused objects or craft special items from graffiti patterns. Throughout your adventure, the Iktomisaur’s talents in detection and the impressive leaps that characterize them will prove essential for traversing steep terrain, spotting hidden passages and obstacles, and solving the most complex puzzles. The abilities of Iktomisaurs, Qucusaurs, as well as your other Saurian companions will play a vital role in exploring the various layers of Ochkanatlan’s treacherous cityscape. Corrupted by the Abyss, this ancient city of Natlan is now inaccessible and no longer home to a living soul. However, a little companion named Cocouik will join you on your quest of ridding this place of Abyssal contamination. Meanwhile, a rampaging dragon has occupied this area. In ancient times, the relationship between humans and dragons was completely different. A special token awaits here, which might reveal even more details about our journey together with Little One, our beloved little Tepetlisaur. Unwavering Guardians Against the Abyss Elite warriors from the Flower-Feather Clan and the Masters of the Night-Wind also learn from their Saurian companions and develop unique abilities in exploration and combat. With the latest update, we may have a chance to recruit Chasca and Ororon. Known as a great warrior and the peacemaker in the Flower-Feather Clan, Chasca will finally become playable in Version 5.2 as a five-star Anemo bow wielder. Raised by a family of Qucusaurs, Chasca’s unique upbringing has shaped her sharp combat skills. Her trusty firearm, the Soulsniper, allows her to float in the air and fire bullets of different elements in battle. After finding an aerial advantage, the Soulsniper can load up to six bullets and is capable of hitting multiple enemies. Additionally, it can deliver a devastating strike that subsequently splits into homing bullets. These bullets can undergo Elemental Conversion when you have Pyro, Hydro, Cryo, or Electro characters in your party, making Chasca a specialist in amplifying damage through Swirling various elements. Finally, having Chasca in your party allows you to restore Phlogiston by eliminating enemies, which offers a significant advantage in prolonged combat. Ororon from the Masters of the Night-Wind becomes playable as a four-star Electro bow wielder. He seems to have a profound connection to the Night Kingdom, and defends Natlan in his own way. Similar to Iktomisaurs, Ororon has the ability to rise into the air, and he also has a keen sense of perception. While charging an Aimed Shot, Ororon will enter the Spiritspeaker state, allowing him to extract power from Natlan’s graffiti and runes. In addition, having Ororon in your team increases gliding speed, making exploration faster and more seamless. In combat, Ororon can be a great support especially if he teams up with Electro or Hydro characters. Ororon can gain Nightsoul Points when one of his party members triggers a Nightsoul Burst, or when other party members deal Hydro or Electro damage to enemies after Ororon unleashes his Elemental Skill. When enemies take damage from Electro-Charged reactions or other party members deal Nightsoul-aligned damage, Ororon can consume Nightsoul Points to enter the Nightsoul’s Blessing state and trigger the “Hypersense” effect, dealing Electro damage. He can also summon a Supersonic Oculus to taunt nearby enemies and deal Electro damage. For Version 5.2 Event Wishes, the first phase will welcome Chasca and Ororon’s debuts together with Lyney’s rerun, while the second phase arrives with reruns of Zhongli and Neuvillette. The Threat of the Abyss Still Looms The war against the Abyss experiences a brief lull thanks to the efforts of the Traveler and the brave warriors of Natlan. The time has come to take a breather and lend a helping hand to the Flower-Feather Clan as it recovers from Abyssal contamination. The story continues with Archon Quest Chapter V: Interlude, “All Fires Fuel the Flame,” in which Iansan and the Captain will also assist the tribe in recovering from the physical and psychological wounds inflicted by the Abyss. Meanwhile, other powerful threats such as a new boss called “Tenebrous Papilla” have cast their shadow on Natlan. This unsettling Abyssal monster can distort its body to become an even more powerful foe by absorbing the memories from Natlan’s corrupted Ley Lines. More Events and Optimizations In Version 5.2, Travelers will team up with Citlali and Ororon in the Iktomi Spiritseeking Scrolls event. Together, you’ll uncover the truth behind a mysterious accident that has caused turmoil in their tribe. As part of the investigation, you’ll face combat challenges to fend off enemies disrupting rituals, piece together scenes from the tribe’s woven scrolls, and gather lost spirits scattered throughout the region. Along the way, Travelers can earn exciting rewards, including Primogems and an exclusive 4-star sword, Calamity of Eshu. Meanwhile, our dev team brings more optimized features in Version 5.2, including the Imaginarium Theater, Serenitea Pot, Artifacts, and other key gadgets. The Imaginarium Theater now offers a smoother experience, featuring a “Next Act” button for quick combat transitions, a Supporting Cast Record to track friends borrowing your support characters, and an optimized party configuration with detailed character recommendations and enemy information. For the Serenitea Pot, gathering wood is now more convenient — the Seed Dispensary can hold more of every type of seed, wood is available for purchase at the Realm Depot with Realm Currency, and the Boon of the Elder Tree’s cooldown has been reduced to five seconds. In Version 5.2, artifact management becomes even easier with the updated “Lock Assistance” interface. You can now lock artifacts in batches with a single click using recommended settings or custom plans. That’s all we want to share for today! Fly freely in this exciting chapter of Natlan with plenty of fresh content to explore, and we will see you next time! View the full article

Last week, we asked you grab your bows and set off on Aloy’s original journey in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, sharing epic moments using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: sorathluna shares Aloy sitting in a field of blue flowers. sirevanztheduke shares Aloy and Varl gazing out at the land before them. ForgottenJasmin shares Aloy gazing up at the illuminated night sky from a desert valley. Beat_Minerz shares Aloy scrambling up ruins and roots to reach a Tallneck. MdeavorVP shares Aloy about to bash a Watcher with her spear. dlazdagaming shares a view of the land with a Tallneck roaming. Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Dragon Age: The Veilguard SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on November 13, 2024 Next week, we head to Thedas to explore the realms of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Share moments in action or traversing the Fade with #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, PS VR, and free-to-play games topped the download charts last month. October saw fists and bullets flying with Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, Undisputed, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 entering the top five of PS5 list in the US. Arizona Sunshine Remake claimed the top spot on October’s PS VR2 list in the US and EU. Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month? PS5 Games US/CanadaEUCall of Duty: Black Ops 6Call of Duty: Black Ops 6DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERODRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZEROUndisputedEA SPORTS FC 25SILENT HILL 2SILENT HILL 2EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25Grand Theft Auto VNBA 2K25PhasmophobiaEA SPORTS FC 25UndisputedGrand Theft Auto VHogwarts LegacyDragon Age: The VeilguardPalworldPalworldIt Takes TwoMetaphor: ReFantazioDragon Age: The VeilguardPhasmophobiaHorizon Zero Dawn RemasteredSONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONSBlack Myth: WukongEA SPORTS College Football 25Metaphor: ReFantazioNHL 25ASTRO BOTWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2NEW WORLD: AETERNUMBlack Myth: WukongResident Evil 4ASTRO BOTNBA 2K25Hogwarts LegacyWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2NEW WORLD: AETERNUMCyberpunk 2077*Naming of products may differ between regions *Upgrades not included PS4 Games US/CanadaEUCall of Duty: Black Ops 6EA SPORTS FC 25MinecraftCall of Duty: Black Ops 6Red Dead Redemption 2The ForestBatman: Arkham KnightMinecraftThe ForestRed Dead Redemption 2Grand Theft Auto VGrand Theft Auto VTom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: WildlandsA Way OuttheHunter: Call of the WildBatman: Arkham KnightEA SPORTS Madden NFL 25Hogwarts LegacyCall of Duty: Black Ops IIITom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: WildlandsGang BeastsKingdom Come: DeliveranceDying LightNeed for Speed PaybackPacifyDying LightMafia: TrilogyMafia: TrilogyA Way OutUnravel TwoEA SPORTS FC 25Need for Speed HeatAlien: IsolationGang BeastsInjustice 2Middle-earth: Shadow of WarNeed for Speed HeatPacifyDayZDayZ *Naming of products may differ between regions PS VR2 Games* US/CanadaEUArizona Sunshine RemakeArizona Sunshine RemakeBeat SaberThe Dark Pictures: Switchback VRThe Dark Pictures: Switchback VRMetro AwakeningAmong Us VRBeat SaberGrand Rush VR Highway Car Traffic Racing SimulatorGrand Rush VR Highway Car Traffic Racing SimulatorMetro AwakeningArizona Sunshine 2Into the RadiusAmong Us VRArizona Sunshine 2PavlovPavlovInto the RadiusLegendary TalesCrossfire: Sierra Squad *PS Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included PS VR Games US/CanadaEUASTRO BOT Rescue MissionBatman: Arkham VRThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VRThe Exorcist: Legion VRThe Walking Dead OnslaughtSniper Elite VRBatman: Arkham VRThe Walking Dead OnslaughtParanormal Activity: The Lost SoulASTRO BOT Rescue MissionThe Exorcist: Legion VRTitanic VRJob SimulatorJob SimulatorBeat SaberBeat SaberSUPERHOT VRParanormal Activity: The Lost SoulMarvel’s Iron Man VRGhost Giant Free to Play (PS5 + PS4) US/CanadaEUTHRONE AND LIBERTYTHRONE AND LIBERTYFortniteFortniteRobloxRobloxCall of Duty: WarzoneCall of Duty: WarzoneRocket LeagueRocket LeagueAsphalt Legends UniteAsphalt Legends UniteVALORANTeFootballApex LegendsVALORANTFall GuysFall GuyseFootballStumble Guys View the full article

The launch of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is fast approaching on November 14. We had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with the game’s producer, Masaaki Hayasaka, to chat about this stunning remake that brings back the iconic masterpiece in HD-2D. Masaaki Hayasaka Producer, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake How HD-2D graphics draw out the full potential of this retro classic PlayStation Blog: HD-2D has become much more popular since games like Octopath Traveler. What are some of the unique characteristics of this visual style? In a nutshell, HD-2D is a visual style that combines pixelated characters with 3D backgrounds. Personally, I think this style works better in retro titles. When the original game first came out, players roamed the world while picturing how beautiful the landscapes must be. HD-2D actually brings that world to life. Even though the game adopts HD-2D, it is still immediately recognizable as Dragon Quest III. What do you think are the most important aspects needed to achieve the iconic Dragon Quest-style? The most obvious is the color palette. Dragon Quest games are characterized by rich, vivid colors, so we aimed to fully embrace that in the remake as well. If you compare the original game and the HD-2D remake side-by-side, the graphics will look completely different. Even so, the color palettes are similar so it shouldn’t feel far off from what OG players remember. Play Video Built in tandem with Yuji Horii What sort of discussions did you have with Yuji Horii (creator of the Dragon Quest franchise), during development? We connected regularly from the early phases of planning till the very end of development. We exchanged a lot of details. We discussed everything from new features like the Monster Arena and additional narrative episodes, to the game balance of battles, and even the size of the character pixels. Did you make any changes based on Yuji Horii’s recommendations? He made a comment around the blurring of the game background, and I find that particularly memorable. Background blur in games is usually referred to as depth of field, which is a technique also used in photography. In HD-2D, depth of field is extremely important. We had previous experience working on HD-2D games, so we thought we’d already mastered the sense of implementing background blur. However, when we showed it to Horii-san, he said that the blur was far too intense, and it made him feel like there was something wrong with his eyes. He then asked us to dial back the intensity. We were quite shocked, in a good way, by his suggestion from a player’s point of view. However, as a result, this change made Dragon Quest III stand out from other HD-2D titles, so his recommendation was on point. So, different games leverage HD-2D in various ways? Absolutely. The only common thread between all HD-2D titles is that they place pixelated characters in a 3D world. Otherwise, every title is completely unique. For example, Octopath Traveler incorporates pixels in the background as well, but Dragon Quest III does not. The characters’ body proportions and pixel size also vary depending on the title. Dragon Quest III is the first-ever HD-2D title to integrate a world map where players can actually wander around. Is the distance between towns the same as the original? The layout of the buildings is exactly the same, but the scale of the map and distances have been changed. The most difficult part of the development process was scaling the map. If we had made the map as dense as the original, the game would have felt too compact in both volume and appearance. On the other hand, if we made the map too large, it would lose its perfect pacing and slow down the game. We spent a lot of time adjusting to find the ideal balance in terms of both look and feel. If you watch the teaser trailer that was released at the time of the announcement, you will notice that the scale is completely different from the finished version. The passion behind the new character customization feature In the remake, players can customize the appearance, like hair color, of party members. Why did you decide to add this new feature? In the original, when you changed a character’s vocation from Martial Artist to a Mage, the young man suddenly turned into an old man and there was no way to alter it. I personally felt that was a bit strange. Character creators or customization is very common in modern games, so I thought players would find it a bit confusing if we kept it like the original. Character customization was intended to make the game feel more modern. To tell you the truth, out of all the new features we added in the remake, I’m most passionate about the character customization. I proposed it to the development team, and even when they refused, saying it was unnecessary, I kept pushing that it was absolutely crucial [laughs]. I spent about three months working on it, so it would mean a lot to me if players spent some time creating their own distinct characters. Even though you can change their appearance, the main colors for each vocation are the same as the original. How did you decide what to change and what to leave untouched? I believed it was important to respect the vocation colors that Akira Toriyama originally designed. We didn’t change any of the main colors, so it’s easier for players to distinguish between each vocation at a glance. However, we wanted to give players the freedom to play around with hats and hairstyles as a fun new feature. View the full article

Power shifts as a faction within Avalon seeks to topple the Luttazzi Crime Family in the massive Season 01 update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone. Deploy across new territory in Multiplayer, Zombies, and Resurgence, wield new weapons and Loadout items, test your competitive skills in Ranked Play, and much more. Season 01 of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone launches November 14 on PS5 and PS4. Multiplayer overview New Core 6v6 Maps Hideout (Launch): Master Omnimovement in this training site including target practice, an obstacle course, and vault. Extraction (Launch): Battle across the landing pads and buildings of D’Avalon Héliport. Occupy the air traffic control tower for premium views. Hacienda (Mid-Season): Return to the infamous vineyard estate first seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Fight in the two-story mansion or around the prestine grounds. Nuketown Holiday (Mid-Season): Get festive as we celebrate CODMAS later in the season, including a Holiday-themed Nuketown! New 2v2/6v6 Strike Maps Heirloom (Launch): Enter a fine art museum that has been vandalized with paint. Navigate the sculptural centerpiece read up on some Avalon art history. Racket (Mid-Season): There’s been a break-in in this labyrinthine bank vault. Fight around the bulldozer and ambush enemies at every chance. Play Video New Multiplayer modes Ransack (Launch): Loot gold bars from crates scattered around the map and bring them back to your team’s stash. Raid the enemy team’s stash and protect your own. Prop Hunt (Launch): The fan-favorite party mode returns! Blend into the landscape as a prop or be the Hunter, tracking down anything that looks out of place. Plus, expect more Limited Time Modes as we get into the holiday season with Season 01 Reloaded! Multiplayer Ranked Play The definitive Ranked Play experience arrives in Season 01, starting later in November. Compete and climb through the Skill Ranks using the same competitive settings, maps, modes, and weapon restrictions as the Call of Duty: League. Earn new Ranked Play rewards and prove your standing as top Operator! Zombies Overview Major new Zombies arrives, here’s a preview of what’s coming: Directed Mode for Terminus, Liberty Falls (Launch) Witness the horrific human experiments being conducted on Terminus Island and assemble the LTG for the mysterious Dr. Panos in Liberty Falls. Directed Mode offers more guidance in completing objectives with a maximum round cap of 15. New Map: Citadelle des Morts (Mid-Season) Weaver, Maya, Carver, and Grey travel to an abandoned castle in Europe, a “citadel of the dead” introducing a medieval village full of ghoulish horrors and tantalizing secrets. Call of Duty: Warzone Overview New Resurgence Map: Area 99 (Launch) Deploy to a brand-new Resurgence map inspired by the fast-paced action of Nuketown. Enter a blistering desert environment surrounding the central “bullseye” Reactor along with other points of interest like the Mannequin Assembly plant, an underground Bunker, and a sprawling Factory and Loading Bay where pre-fab Nuketown dwellings were once constructed. Play Video Returning Maps and Modes Return to Urzikstan and Rebirth Island arriving one week after Season 01 launch. Play Battle Royale and Plunder on Urzikstan, and Resurgence on Rebirth Island and the new Area 99. Call of Duty: Warzone Ranked Play (Mid-Season) Ranked Play arrives during the Season 01 launch window! Outsmart, out-maneuver, and outlast the competition while earning exclusive Ranked Play rewards along the way. Full Black Ops 6 Integration Season 01 brings the Pick-3 Perk system, weapons, Wildcards, Omnimovement, global weapon builds, and much more as Black Ops 6 fully integrates with Call of Duty: Warzone. Plus, keep an eye out for the rare Specialist Perk Package, granting all Perks plus Irradiated and Shrouded on pickup! Season 01 launches November 14 Black Ops 6 is available now. Experience the spy action thriller Campaign, the in-depth tactical chaos of Multiplayer, and soak in the gory glory of round-based Zombies experience! Click here to Purchase Black Ops 6. View the full article

Hello, This year has already been a very busy one for No Man’s Sky, with 6 updates already this year, including the huge Worlds Update. Our last update, The Cursed, dropped just a couple of weeks ago, and players have been loving the spooky Halloween vibe. In game development some features take weeks or months, and others take years. Today we are releasing some features that have been years in the making. PlayStation 5 Pro PlayStation 5 Pro releases today and is an incredible feat of engineering. We were so excited to get our hands on it from early days of development. We couldn’t wait to see what was possible in No Man’s Sky with so much power at our disposal! We’re excited to be able to share an enhanced version of No Man’s Sky for PlayStation 5 Pro with players at launch. Bringing even more detail and higher image quality than ever possible on console before. PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) allows for incredible upscaling to provide crisp 4K resolution at 60fps. No Man’s Sky will also be an early supporter of 8k resolution, with the universe looking incredible in 8K at 30fps. As well as a much sharper resolution at higher framerates, the increased power of the PlayStation 5 Pro has enabled us to ramp up the graphical quality across the board. Players on PlayStation 5 Pro will see improved lighting, with ultra quality reflections and higher quality ambient occlusion in all modes. Explore the most beautiful and detailed alien worlds No Man’s Sky has to offer, for the first time on console. Not only this, but all of these improvements also come to PS VR2! With our most stunning virtual reality imagery offering an even more immersive experience for Travellers amongst the stars. Cross-save Starting from today we are rolling out cross-save support on all platforms. This has been a huge undertaking, and is one of most requested features. No Man’s Sky now supports cross-play and cross-save between a huge number of platforms including last and current generation consoles (including PlayStation 5 Pro – see below), and PS VR & PS VR 2. Adding the ability to transfer saves between platforms via a server is especially difficult for No Man’s Sky, as the work involved increases with each platform supported and how long folks have already been playing for. Both those numbers are large for our tiny team. It’s very common for players to rack up thousands of hours of saves exploring across space, building elaborate bases and cataloging their discoveries, with incredibly detailed saves. Adding cross-save for us is a little bit like moving house, the longer people have lived there the more complicated it is to move them! We also have players who played once at launch, eight years ago, suddenly loading up that save on a platform that didn’t even exist back then! The Normandy returns Everyone here at Hello Games is a huge sci-fi nerd. One of our absolute favorite series is the incredible Mass Effect games. To join in Mass Effect’s annual N7 celebrations, we are pleased to welcome the legendary SSV Normandy SR1 back into No Man’s Sky! It was back in 2021 that the Normandy made its first appearance in one of the first expeditions we ever ran. The limited-time expedition culminated in players being able to claim the Normandy for their fleet. In the intervening years since that event, we have welcomed a huge number of Travellers. Many of these new players have envied those who proudly displayed their Normandy in their frigate collection. Mass Effect fans know that this legendary freighter only appears when it is most needed! Today, and for the next two weeks, as a love-letter from one science fiction game to another, we are giving everyone another chance to encounter the Normandy in an overhauled version of the original mission and add it to their collection. Huge thanks to our friends at Electronic Arts and Bioware for helping make this happen. It has been a momentous year for No Man’s Sky in a number of ways. We’re so grateful to be able to continue this journey with you. View the full article

PlayStation 5 Pro launches worldwide today, November 7. Revealed on September 10, PlayStation 5 Pro is our most advanced and innovative console hardware to date, with key performance features such as an upgraded GPU, advanced ray tracing, and PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution. Play Video The console is available directly from PlayStation and participating retailers globally. Whether you have decided to transfer to the new console from a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, or are entirely new to the PlayStation family (welcome!), here’s what you need to know to get prepped for – and started with – your new PS5 Pro. PS5 Pro measurements Out of the box, the PS5 Pro console is approximately 388mm x 89mm x 216mm (width x height x depth) and weighs in at around 3.1kg. PS5 Pro input/output ports Input/Output Front of Console1 x USB Type-C port (Super-Speed USB 10Gbps) 1 x USB Type-C port (High-Speed USB)Back of Console2 x USB Type-A port (Super-Speed USB 10Gbps)NetworkingEthernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be A Disc Drive for PS5 can be purchased separately, allowing you to use PS5 and supported PS4 physical discs, and play 4K Blu-ray and DVD discs. Transfer your data from PS4, PS4 Pro or PS5 to PlayStation 5 Pro If you own a PS5, PS4 Pro, or a PS4 console, you can transfer your data to your new console. Before you start the transfer, make sure your original console is updated to the latest system software and you’ve synced your trophy information. On both your original console and your PS5 Pro, sign in on your PlayStation Network account . You can transfer your user information, games downloaded to your console’s hard drive or SSD, save data, and select console settings if both consoles are connected to the same network. Go to Settings > System > System Software, select Data Transfer > Continue then follow the on-screen instructions. Play Video Enable PS5 Console Sharing and Offline Play While you can have your account on multiple consoles, you can only designate one console for Console Sharing and Offline Play at a time. When you first sign into your new PS5 or PS5 Pro console, Console Sharing and Offline Play will automatically be enabled. If you sign in to a PS5 console that is not enabled as Console Sharing and Offline Play, you can still access and play purchased games from your account as well access some of your PlayStation Plus benefits – as long as you are signed in with your account. It won’t be accessible through other accounts that may be using the same console. Sync your DualSense controller, DualSense Edge controller, Pulse Elite Headset, Pulse Explore, and PlayStation Portal with your PS5 Pro Whether you’re using the new DualSense controller included with your PS5 Pro, or one you already own, you’ll need to pair these to your new console. Use the supplied USB-C cable to plug these into the console, and power the controller on. For the PlayStation Portal, from the home screen of your PS5 console, select Settings > System > Remote Play, and then turn on Enable Remote Play. Sign in to your PlayStation Network account on your PlayStation Portal, and follow the on-screen instructions to sync it to your new console. For your PlayStation Pulse Elite Headset, plug the supplied USB adapter into one of the rear USB Type-A ports on your console and press the PlayStation Link button on your headset. For the PlayStation Pulse Explore, make sure both of your earbuds are docked in the charging case, insert the USB adapter into one of the USB Type-A ports on your console, remove both earbuds from the case to connect them to your console. Transfer your M.2 SSD from PS5 to PS5 Pro If your original PS5 has a M.2 SSD installed, you can insert it into your PS5 Pro, following this guide. Set up a PS5 Pro with a PS5 Disc Drive If you’ve purchased a separate PS5 Disc Drive to install onto your PS5 Pro, you can follow this handy guide. Pair your PS5 Pro with the PlayStation App You can download games while away from home, manage console storage if you don’t have enough space and start a game on the app so it’s ready to pick up the controller and play. Play Astro’s Playroom As with all PlayStation 5 consoles, PS5 Pro comes bundled with Astro’s Playroom pre-installed on its console storage, which is a fantastic introduction to Team Asobi’s wonderful platform franchise, and also to the DualSense wireless controller’s immersive features. Check out some PS5 Pro Enhanced Games Transferring from a PS5, or new to PlayStation, there’s a selection of titles with updates that will take advantage of PS5 Pro, which launch alongside the console. Here’s just some of them: Play Video View the full article

We’ve come so far, and there’s still so much ahead of us. Apex Legends From the Rift rewinds the clock with the new nostalgic LTM Launch Royale, takes you to the original World’s Edge, revives Lifeline to new limits, and rekindles that first drop feeling from season one. It all starts November 5, 2024, including support for PlayStation 5 Pro when the console launches November 7. Let’s launch royale Play Video It’s 2019, Apex Legends has just launched, Kings Canyon is the wild frontier, and battle royales were never the same. This new LTM drops you right into that original experience, complete with original everything: weapons, Legends, abilities, ruleset, and map. Conquer Launch Royale Challenges to unlock Legends and earn rewards like Apex Packs and more. Evo Armor and Ability Upgrades? Nope, not here. Just a blast from the past for those who were here on day zero and a brand-new experience for those who missed out. There’s never been a better time to jump in and see where Legends were born. Lifeline revived “We’re in this together. Memba that.” Lifeline’s habit of getting caught up in chaotic events may have caught up with her, but she’s always got your back. It’s the Ajay Che you know and love, now fully revived, recharged, and ready to drop directly into the action with her aggressive new kit: Combat Glide: Hold Jump mid-air to use to D.O.C. to briefly glide, and deploy D.O.C. to revive teammates, leaving Lifeline free to defend. D.O.C. Heal Drone: D.O.C. heals nearby allies. D.O.C. can be assigned to follow allies once deployed. D.O.C. Halo: throw D.O.C. to activate Halo Shield System. All players inside use Health & Shield consumables faster. Good support never surrenders to the sidelines. And this Lifeline? She’s not just saving lives—she’s fighting her way to the Champions Podium. Rift Relics Forming from the unstable Rift in the sky, Rift Relics disrupt our reality to bring enviable items from seemingly nowhere. Pick up the EPG-1 Launcher with splash damage and rocket-jumping capabilities, and unleash exotic Hop-Ups like Lifesteal, which heals with every hit. If survival is more your gameplan, then lookout for the new survival item: Boost Kits. Rift Relics will spontaneously appear across many rounds in each match. But be quick. They’re easy to spot for allies and enemies alike. Whoever gets there first will reap the rewards by destroying the Rift Relic and have their presence announced to the surrounding area. Then it’s all fun and games until the Ring starts—objects from the rift may be more stable than they appear. Support Class Perks Our next class gets a set of perks. Legends in the Support class will now have their own duo of perks to select from to amplify their areas of expertise: Heal Expert and Revive Expert. There are no bad choices here—just go with your gut and heal it later. Heal Expert Move at full walk speed while healing Healing amount from small meds is doubled Revive Expert 25% faster revives and grant health regen on a successful revive Banner Crafting and ally Death Boxes now spawn a Mobile Respawn Beacon (which Support Legends will be able to spot inside) Support Legends will maintain access to their extended supply bins, but some updates will be made to their upgrades, and banner crafting will now be accessible to all Legends. New universal melee: Raptor’s Claw Up the ante with the new Raptor’s Claw. This universal melee cosmetic can be used by any and all Legends to add some flare while you’re taking down the enemy. Grab the latest addition to your collection in the Void Mercenary Store until January 7, 2025. After acquiring this karambit-style weapon, you can then unlock the Crystal Chamber Death Box, as well as 5 other deadly variants and their matching Death Boxes. Play Apex Legends for free* now on PS5 and PS4, now with support for PlayStation 5 Pro when the console launches November 7. *Applicable platform account and platform subscription (sold separately) may be required. A persistent internet connection and EA account required. Age restrictions apply. Includes in-game purchases. View the full article

October had many spooky and epic adventures. What did you enjoy most about last month’s title lineup? How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. After the polls close we will tally your votes, and announce the winner on our social channels and PlayStation.Blog. What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? Note: re-released games don’t qualify, but remakes do. We define remakes as ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds such as Resident Evil 4 (2023) and Final Fantasy VII Remake. How are nominees decided? The PlayStation Blog editorial team will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll. View the full article

On November 7 PlayStation 5 Pro unleashes a new era of impressive visuals. The console enables graphical enhancements like advanced ray tracing, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, and silky smooth framerates of 60hz or 120hz through an upgraded GPU (depending on your TV). Of course, crackling new power means little without immersive games to get lost in. This list is a sample of more than 50 games boasting PS5 Pro enhancements at launch, with many more to follow. Alan Wake 2 Albatroz Apex Legends Arma Reforger Assassin’s Creed Mirage Baldur’s Gate 3 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 EA Sports College Football 25 Dead Island 2 Demon’s Souls Diablo IV Dragon Age: The Veilguard Dragon’s Dogma 2 Dying Light 2 Reloaded Edition EA Sports FC 25 Enlisted F1 24 Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Fortnite God of War Ragnarök Hogwarts Legacy Horizon Forbidden West Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered Kayak VR: Mirage Lies of P Madden NFL 25 Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Naraka: Bladepoint NBA2K 25 No Man’s Sky Palworld Paladin’s Passage Planet Coaster 2 Professional Spirits Baseball 2024-2025 Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil Village Rise of the Ronin Rogue Flight Star Wars: Jedi Survivor Star Wars: Outlaws Stellar Blade Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown The Callisto Protocol The Crew Motorfest The Finals The First Descendant The Last of Us Part I The Last of Us Part II Remastered Until Dawn War Thunder Warframe World of Warships: Legends To learn more about PS5 Pro, head to playstation.com. What will be the first game you play on PS5 Pro? View the full article

Having a blast with Astro Bot? I’m sure many of you are still working hard to rescue every last bot from the deepest reaches of space. I’m also sure that many of you have spotted a few PlayStation VIP bots that definitely look familiar… but maybe there are a few that you know you’ve seen before but either can’t quite remember where or are unaware of the historical context behind them. And maybe there are a couple that you don’t recall at all. Astro Bot is packed with loving tributes to the global history and legacy of PlayStation spanning thirty years, so there were bound to be some deep cuts– so don’t feel too awkward if there’s a VIP you don’t recognize. What’s great is that, with a huge library of classic games available on PlayStation Store or PlayStation Plus Premium, it’s fun and easy to take an interactive history lesson to learn more about that oddball bot that caught your eye. Let’s take a look at some of the references of Astro Bot–and how you can play the games in the classic callbacks. Ape Escape Just when you thought you’d rounded up all those darn dirty apes forever, they’re up to their old tricks again in Astro Bot! Ape Escape was an action/adventure game released in 1999 that made use of the recently introduced DualShock controller on the original PlayStation console. You were tasked with rounding up a gaggle of intelligent (?) apes causing mischief throughout time, and the DualShock was crucial to this, allowing you careful movement to approach and capture the naughty monkeys. Apes On The Loose – the Ape Escape-themed level at the end of the Gorilla Nebula – apes (pun intended) this gameplay quite nicely, requiring you to strategize how to capture all the stage’s raucous primate-bots effectively. Play the original Ape Escape at PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Premium. Loco Roco Released on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) in 2006, the strikingly colorful LocoRoco stood as one of the system’s marquee titles. The LocoRoco are a blob-like species that live in bright, singing harmony with the planet. When a malevolent force threatens this natural wonder, the LocoRoco fight it off the only way they know how–by rolling along with a smile and a song. When you reach the Going Loco level in Astro Bot at the end of the Camo Cosmos , you’ll be treated to a stage built to resemble Loco Roco’s signature rolling gameplay as you tilt and bounce your way through hazards–you can even press R2 to split into many tiny Astros and fit through small areas, just like in the original. If you missed this series, fear not– the original, Loco Roco 2, and LocoRoco Midnight Carnival are available at PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Premium. Patapon Hidden away in one of the Lost Galaxy levels are some unique-looking VIP bots modeled on the Patapon, from the 2007 PSP game of the same name. Patapon (and its sequels on PSP) delivered a unique mix of rhythm and real-time strategy. The Patapons, a civilization of intelligent cyclopian creatures, have been long banished from their ancestral home. With the aid of their patron deity’s powerful warm drum, they march to reclaim their land from their enemies. By entering a series of button commands to the pounding drum rhythm, you command the Patapon tribe to attack, fall back, rush ahead, and more. Both Patapon and Patapon 2 are available at PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Premium. Everybody’s Golf/Hot Shots Golf — Pro Golfer Golf is a game that can seem very intimidating, even in video game form. Developer Camelot took a different approach, eschewing the complexity and over-realism of other golf games for a pick-up-and-play experience that was easy to learn, played smoothly, and proved plenty fun in multiplayer. Everybody’s Golf (originally carrying the moniker of Hot Shots Golf in North America) proved to be a massive global hit, and developer Clap Hanz would take the reigns from from the sequel onwards. The latest installment is available at PlayStation Store and on PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, and it’s as enjoyable a golf experience as it ever was–but if you want that retro touch, you can always check out Hot Shots Golf and Hot Shots Golf 2 as well, both available on PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Premium. Mister Mosquito — Robotic Sucker Eliminating pests is often a part of playing video games, but in the unique PlayStation 2 title Mister Mosquito from developer Zoom, you get to play the role of pest yourself! As the titular Mister Mosquito, you need to plan ahead to survive through the winter, and you’ve found a nice family home with plenty of fresh blood for the sucking. Unfortunately, the residents aren’t very happy about your freeloading. You’ll try to evade their notice and keep them calm–but be ready for grueling mosquito-versus human combat if you’re spotted! The PS2 is often remembered as a golden age for quirky, unique titles, and Mister Mosquito is definitely a fine example. Mister Mosquito is available at PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Premium. Intelligent Qube I.Q.: Intelligent Qube stands as one of the original PlayStation’s most memorable puzzle games. A mysterious power wishes to test you, and so you stand on a mysterious grid as huge, intimidating cubes roll forward to push you into the abyss. You must predict how the cubes will approach and mark spots on the floor to eliminate them. This novel concept came from outside of the typical game development pipeline, as it is the brainchild of Professor Masahiko Sato of the Tokyo University of the Arts. The amazing, epic-sounding music also deserves note–just don’t let it distract you from cube-busting. Both I.Q. and sequel, Kurushi Final: Mental Blocks, are available at PlayStation Store and PlayStation Plus Premium. Jumping Flash — Leaping Lapin Jumping Flash, released in 1995, was many a lifelong PlayStation gamer’s first experience with the console (myself included). This unique first-person platformer tasks you with controlling Robbit, a super-powered machine built for jumping to absurd heights. He’s out to stop the devious Baron Aloha, a mad scientist whose scheme involves cutting up a planet for space resort development. Developers Exact and Ultra used the original PlayStation’s polygon-pushing power to create amazing environments, and the use of clever camera angles to make it easy to see where the high-jumping Robbit was landing made the game fun and approachable for those not used to navigating 3D space. Jumping Flash is available at PlayStation Store and PlayStation Plus Premium. Vib-Ribbon — Ribbon Rider Who’s this jaunty monochrome fellow modeled after? This bot takes after the odd little vector-line rabbit Vibri from the original PlayStation classic Vib Ribbon, released in Japan and Europe. Developed by esteemed rhythm game producer Masaya Matsuura and his team at NanaOn-Sha, Vib Ribbon was a novel action game that could take any music CD you inserted into a PlayStation and turn it into a challenging auto-scrolling action game with loop-de-loops, spikes, and other hazards. Since the game relies heavily on physical CDs, it’s not available digitally, but you can check out other great NanaOn-Sha classics like Parappa the Rapper. (He’s rockin’ out in Astro Bot, too.) Wild Arms — Dream Chaser Wild Arms was one of the earliest RPGs to make a splash on the PlayStation. It debuted in 1996 from developer Media.Vision and spawned a series with multiple sequels. It’s remembered for its unique Western-fantasy hybrid settings, strategic turn-based combat, and phenomenal soundtrack. The Dream Chaser bot represents the game’s hero, Rudy, who has the ability to control ancient weaponry known as ARMs. Together with his companions, the mercenary Jack and the princess Cecilia, Rudy goes on a quest through the world of Filgaia to stop the revival of an ancient mechanical monstrosity. If you’ve got a pang of nostalgia for classic PlayStation RPGs, keep your eyes peeled for call-outs to other titles like Suikoden and Alundra, too. Wild Arms is available at PlayStation Store and PlayStation Plus Premium. Devil Dice — Little Devil One of the deepest cuts in Astro Bot has an interesting story behind it. Devil Dice, known in Japan as XI (pronounced “sai”), was a game concept that came from a contest held in Japan from 1995 to 1999 called Game Yarouze. Thus, independent developer Shift was given development and publishing assistance. Their game, Devil Dice, is a challenging 3D puzzle game where a little character in a funny devil suit matches sets of dice to clear them from the field. Between this and Intelligent Qube, puzzle cubes were something of a trend on the original PlayStation–for good reason, because both games are well worth checking out for puzzle game fans. You’ll see the clear nod to Devil Dice when rescuing the related VIP Bot in an isometric room filled with dice hidden away in Serpent Starway’s Slo-Mo Casino Stage. View the full article

The new immersive romantic adventure game for consoles, “Venus Vacation PRISM – DEAD OR ALIVE Xtreme,” is set to be released on March 6, 2025. Pre-orders for both the physical version and the digital version have begun today. More information about the Digital Deluxe Edition is available on the official website. The recently released First Trailer showcases the six beautiful girls featured in the game, their intimate interactions, and heartwarming date scenes – all packed with charm into this unforgettable adventure. Additionally, we have announced a collaboration with the popular illustrator “Yom.” In the Digital Deluxe Edition, players can enjoy costumes designed by Yom, and special episodes. To celebrate the release of this title, we have also unveiled original illustrations of Misaki and Nanami. Play Video Experience true romance and a thrilling sense of closeness! As the boss on the Venus Islands, where summer is everlasting, you will interact with the girls you encounter there. Your story with the girls will unfold based on the choices you make, resulting in a variety of outcomes. The heart-fluttering sensation caused by casual gestures, the thrill felt as you draw closer to your love interest, the worry about which girl to choose… Are you ready to experience true romance on the islands of everlasting summer? The following are the 6 girls featured in this title. ・Misaki, the shy part-time staff, always by your side. ・Honoka, the comforting laid-back schoolgirl with a secret. ・Tamaki, the tempting mature and sexy beauty. ・Fiona, the love-struck naive princess. ・Nanami, the natural cool beauty that effortlessly draws attention. ・Elise, the strict yet cool and beautiful supervisor. A wonderful romance awaits you at the Venus Islands. Having multiple interactions with each of the girls will sometimes get you invited on dates. Gorgeous, vivid visuals and fully-voiced animations will make each date an enjoyable experience, as if the two of you are in your own world. The smiling face of a carefree girl, her profile as she watches the ocean waves in the evening, her eyes as she looks shyly up at you—each of these random moments can be photographed by you during your dates! Remember to keep your absolute favorite photograph as a memento of your date. 　More information will become available on the official website and on our social media channels. Please follow us for upcoming announcements! Platform　　　PlayStation®5/PlayStation®4　 Genre　　　Immersive Romantic Adventure Release Date　　　March 6th, 2025 ©KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD./KOEI TECMO TAIWAN CO., LTD. All rights reserved. View the full article

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here Hey folks! This week the gang returns for a quick episode to discuss the news and upcoming releases. Plus, we get into hands-on impressions of the eerily immersive PS VR2 game Alien: Rogue Incursion coming in December. Stuff We Talked About Next week’s release highlights: Metro Awakening | PS VR2 Alien: Rogue Incursion PS VR 2 hands-on details Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind details Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster pre-launch details PS Plus Monthly Games November Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged Ghostwire: Tokyo Death Note Killer Within Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Darkest Dungeon The Cast View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Tim Turi – Content Communications Manager, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Brett Elston – Content Communications Manager, SIE Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

Last week, we asked you to highlight ghosts and ghouls haunting your favorite games using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s spooky highlights: crisg_art shares the Turtle Treasure’s Spirit from Black Myth: Wukong. call_me_xavii shares a ghastly face from Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. lunar9p shares a ghost with long hair and a hat dressed in white from Ghostwire: Tokyo. DexM_ds shares an undead skeletal archer from Demon’s Souls. secondcapture shares a red-hooded skeletal figure from Mortal Shell. AkiraAoyama_VP shares a floating Hiss from Control. Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on November 6, 2024 Next week, we’re Focusing in on Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. Share epic moments from Aloy’s original adventure using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Hi everyone! Today, we are thrilled to announce Death Note Killer Within, a brand new online social deduction game for up to 10 players where you can play as iconic characters from the Death Note franchise. The key to this game is the Death Note, for the human whose name is written in this note shall die! But beware, this deadly note lies hidden among you and the other players, setting the stage for a thrilling game of strategy and deception. Play as Kira and judge other players with the Death Note or play as L and gather clues to arrest the killer. Get ready to uncover the truth and outsmart your opponents to win. Death Note Killer Within is coming to both PS5 and PS4 on November 5, and is included in the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup for November. Play Video Game overview In Death Note Killer Within, there are four unique player roles: Kira, Kira Follower, L, and the Investigator. Players can select their desired role at the start of the game, but depending on various selection factors, the system will assign each player a final role based on availability. Players will be split into two teams: team Kira and Kira Followers, whose primary objective is to eliminate L, or team L and the Investigators, whose goal is to arrest Kira. The game progresses through two main phases: a cycle of Action Phase, where players can gather clues and complete their respective tasks, and a Meeting Phase, where players come together to discuss and attempt to arrest Kira based on suspicious behaviors during the Action Phase. If L is eliminated during the Action Phase, team Kira wins. However, if Kira is arrested during the Meeting Phase, the Death Note will be disposed of and Team L wins. Alternatively, by completing various objectives during the Action Phase, players can contribute to leveling up their team Progress gauge and the first team to max out their Progress gauge will win the game. Player roles If you are “Kira”, you will start with the Death Note and use it to eliminate NPCs and other players. However, to judge a player, you need an ID with the player’s real name. You can obtain this by staying close to a target for a short amount of time, but don’t act too suspicious or you will be questioned during the Meeting Phase. As a “Kira Follower”, your job is to steal Investigators’ IDs and work secretly together with Kira, communicating privately with a Transceiver. In addition, the Death Note can be transferred between Kira and a Kira Follower so even you can become the next Kira! Make the transfer at the right time to deceive other players. “Investigators” play an important role in identifying the real Kira as they gather clues to support the deduction. Be aware of suspicious players who get too close to you as your ID might get stolen if they are Kira or a Kira Follower. Investigators also carry out objectives such as asking NPCs for testimonials, which helps reveal information about Kira. If you become “L”, unlike normal investigators, he has special actions that enable him to obtain valuable information during the Action Phase, such as commanding other players to investigate and setting up surveillance cameras. L can also facilitate discussion in the Meeting Phase to narrow down suspicious players. Strategically use your special actions to take one step closer in uncovering the truth and arrest Kira. To win, you must work together Death Note Killer Within encourages players to work together as a team to accomplish their goals. Each of the four roles has its own gameplay characteristics. Depending on your assigned role, a wide range of strategies can be formulated, and each randomized scenario develops into a high-stakes game of tactics. For example, the Death Note can be transferred between Kira and Kira Follower, allowing them to misdirect investigators. L can narrow down suspects by giving instructions during the Action Phase and guiding discussions during the Meeting Phase to efficiently advance his team’s deductions. Investigate and deceive in style Customize your game avatar with hats, glasses, masks and various accessories to stand out from the crowd. But that’s not all, you can even choose a custom nameplate and select special animations to be displayed during key moments in the game. Let’s get the deduction party started! Death Note Killer Within is coming to both PS5 and PS4 on November 5, 2024 and will support both online cross-play and voice chat. Invite your friends and challenge each other in different roles to see who has the wits to successfully deceive other players and win the game. On launch day, the game will also be available to PlayStation Plus members as part of November’s Monthly Games, so be sure to check it out! View the full article

Take big risks on the smallest tracks for pole position glory, join forces with a spectral entity to survive supernatural forces on the streets of Tokyo and team up with friends to identify the opposition with the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for November. Racer Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged, horror adventure Ghostwire: Tokyo and online social deduction game Death Note Killer Within launch November 5, with Death Note Killer Within launching day and date into PlayStation Plus – you can read more about it in this dedicated PS Blog post. Let’s take a closer look at each game in turn. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged | PS4, PS5 Race over 130 vehicles, including Hot Wheels Originals, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks, motorbikes and ATVs, each with their unique racing style, across multiple game modes and amazing environments. Upgrade vehicles with a dedicated skill tree that will directly affect their performance. Discover 5 brand new locations, master their secrets, and you’ll feel right at home both there and on the podium. Alternatively create the track of your dreams with the powerful Track Editor, or use the best creations from the community. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Ghostwire: Tokyo | PS5 Tokyo is overrun by deadly supernatural forces as a dangerous occultist causes the city’s population to vanish in an instant. Join forces with a powerful spectral entity on their quest for vengeance and master a powerful arsenal of abilities to unravel the dark truth behind the disappearance as you face the unknown in Ghostwire: Tokyo. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Death Note Killer Within | PS4, PS5 Death Note Killer Within is an online social deduction game for up to 10 players. Players will be split into two teams with different objectives. To win the game, players will need to figure out each other’s identities and either eliminate L who threatens Kira’s power or seize the Death Note. Enjoy a battle of wits as Kira and his followers, or as L and the investigators in the world of Death Note. As equally matched opponents, the two teams clash to control the game while hiding their true identities from each other. The Death Note is hidden among the players, leading to a thrilling game of cat and mouse until one team overpowers the other. Each role has its own characteristics, allowing you to master a deep sense of strategy and tactical play. Depending on your assigned role, a wide range of strategies can be formulated, and each randomized scenario develops into a high-stakes game of tactics. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Last chance to download October’s games PlayStation Plus members have until November 4 to add WWE 2K24, Dead Space and Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! to their game libraries. *All three games will be available to PlayStation Plus members on November 5 until December 2. **PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup may differ in certain regions. Please check the PlayStation Store on launch day for your region’s lineup. View the full article

We’re excited to launch Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered on PS5 and PC* tomorrow. We can’t wait for you to discover the visual enhancements and new features that take full advantage of the PS5 and compatible PCs. We also look forward to seeing all of your Photo Mode creations, whether you are revisiting your favorite locations and characters, or discovering the world of Horizon for the first time. A lot of love and effort went into the making of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. In a previous blog, developers talked extensively about various enhancements that Nixxes and Guerrilla collaborated on. Today I’d like to introduce you to Linda Burgers, Principal Producer at Nixxes, to share more about how this project came to be: “Before we began working on Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, we set out to assess what was possible. At the time, Horizon Forbidden West had been announced, but was still in development. Guerrilla gave us the privilege of getting an early look at the sequel. The stunning visuals and overall quality we saw in Horizon Forbidden West proved to be a huge opportunity for an enhanced version of Horizon Zero Dawn. From terrain, foliage, density, the set dressing in settlements, clouds, lighting and facial animation, to the overall cinematic quality, we saw a huge delta when we made comparisons. In addition, we went back to the original concept art of Horizon Zero Dawn, to get a sense of the original intent. Especially the density of foliage stood out. Based on what we saw in the concept art, Nixxes Art Director Oscar Stegehuis started making paint-overs of Horizon Zero Dawn screenshots, to outline and emphasize the opportunities and the vision that was forming for the remaster. The shared vision of Nixxes and Guerrilla was not to just upgrade the existing world of Horizon Zero Dawn, but to overhaul the visuals to match those of Horizon Forbidden West, without losing the original intent and identity of the first game. To achieve this, we were in constant contact with the art direction, animation, and lighting teams at Guerrilla. Since the studios’ offices in Amsterdam and Utrecht are close to each other, we had people from Guerrilla visit on a regular basis to give direction in person and help solve complex problems with various aspects of the production. With the incredible efforts, talent, and dedication of the teams at Nixxes and Guerrilla, and the additional support from our co-developers at Weaseltron and Stellar Entertainment, I believe we have succeeded in making this a reality. The talented software developers from Weaseltron have been instrumental to the project’s infrastructure, technical art wizardry, rendering pipelines, remaster tools and the bulk of the work on the PC version of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. A group of skilled artists from Stellar Entertainment worked with us on remastering the ambience, lighting, clouds, and landscape assets. Their engineers also brought over many of the accessibility features from Horizon Forbidden West into the remaster. I could not be more proud of the entire team! The talent and dedication that everyone put into this project made our shared vision a reality.“ – Linda Burgers, Principal Producer, Nixxes Launch details Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered launches on PlayStation 5 on October 31 at midnight local time. For release timing on PC, check out the PC Launch Map below. Existing owners of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition can upgrade to the digital version of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered for $9.99. Check out the announcement PS Blog post for all the upgrade details. New fans can purchase the game for $49.99 on PlayStation Store, Steam, or Epic Games Store. For PlayStation 5, a physical version is also available. * Account for PlayStation Network required on PC. View the full article

“Let’s make a 90’s arcade game!” This sounded like a pretty good idea to us at Digital Eclipse back in 2022, when the first seeds of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind took root. Play Video Arcade gaming was firing on all cylinders when MMPR debuted in 1993. The 16-bit home era was well underway and the original PlayStation was still a year from its release in Japan, so coin-operated games still raked in tons of tokens. So if we wanted to give the Power Rangers the high-energy arcade game they always deserved but never got, let’s make the ultimate version of the game that never existed. The result is Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind, a love letter to the franchise which launches on December 10 on PS5 and PS4. We hinted that the game was more than merely a brawler when we announced the project this past summer, and with about 70% of the gameplay focused on beating up Rita Repulsa’s army of Putty Patrollers, anyone looking to clean house with melee attacks and combos should feel very comfortable. The remaining gameplay takes inspiration from Sega’s innovative super-scaler games, like Space Harrier and Out Run. Before polygons ruled the earth, these games simulated 3D movement with a series of fast-moving 2D sprites. These are designed to deliver fast, in-your-face scrolling action, and we thought they’d be a perfect way to let MMPR fans take down some of the Rangers’ most famous foes. Case in point: Players can expect to travel through the canyons and rooftops of Angel Grove in the first segment of Rita’s Rewind, learning about the twisty time-travel plot and encountering enemies that simply shouldn’t appear this early in Rangers history. But after brawling and defeating Goldar, Rita Repulsa predictably throws her magic wand down from her lunar palace to give her champion a second chance – and turn him into a skyscraper-sized behemoth. That’s where the super-scaler gameplay comes in. Each Ranger jumps into their appropriate Dinozord and charges into the Z-axis in hot pursuit, blasting all obstacles and enemies with powered-up weapons like missiles and dual lasers. This gameplay really draws on that Sega legacy, throwing back to games like Galaxy Force and After Burner – constant movement, waves of insistent enemies, and powerful attacks to take them out of your way. Once Goldar is caught, the gameplay shifts again, this time to a first-person fighting game, where the Power Rangers form the mighty Megazord to slug it out directly with the boss. It’s his face versus your fists, once again utilizing that 2.5D visual approach found in vintage arcade games. Each player gets a chance to wear the boss down, contributing whatever they can to the cause and ultimately defeating the bosses with the Power Rangers’ ultimate weapon: teamwork. Mixing all these different genres felt like the right thing to do to keep Rita’s Rewind perpetually fresh, but it was a heck of a lot of fun for us, too. We love brawlers, but they can get repetitive; we’re hoping that mixing in racing, blasting, and punching will make Rita’s Rewind a thrill for players who have always dreamed about what Jason, Trini, Zack, Billy, and Kimberly’s game would have been like had they walked into an arcade in the mid-1990s. In fact, one of the concepts that drives a lot of what we do at Digital Eclipse is the desire to make games the way you remember them playing, even if your memories have made those experiences a little sweeter and cooler than they might have actually been back in the day. Our goal with Rita’s Rewind is to make a game that could have existed, and certainly should have existed, but probably wouldn’t have existed with all this variety in one place. Since we have the benefit of looking at arcade gaming in the rearview mirror for 30 years, we’ll take advantage of that to try to deliver something better than you would have remembered. Rita’s Rewind will debut on PS5 and PS4 on December 10, and you can pre-order it now. When that day comes, we hope you enjoy heading back to the 1990s with us, both in terms of Power Rangers history and arcade gameplay – even if it’s your first visit. View the full article

The Alien franchise has left a long, deep acid burn on the video game medium ever since the release of the first film in 1979. Whether hiding in lockers in Alien Isolation, blasting waves of creatures in Aliens: Fireteam Elite, or guiding a Marine squad to tactical victory in Aliens: Dark Descent, the series’ rich legacy has left plenty of room for creative interpretation. With Alien: Rogue Incursion, celebrated VR developer Survios is aiming to make another major contribution to the Alien gaming legacy. This big-budget, immersive PlayStation VR2 experience promises to make players feel like they’re actually inhabiting the dark, brooding world of the films, from navigating the shadowy hallways to wielding authentic Marine firepower against the titular threat. Ahead of the game’s launch on PS VR2 this December, we went hands-on with a pre-release build of this single-player survival-horror adventure. Here are some highlights of our experience. An immersive VR Alien fantasy Survios set out to make players feel firmly planted in the oppressive Alien universe, so don’t expect a cakewalk. Ammo and healing items are scarce, xenomorphs can deliver fatal one-hit blows, and hissing steam vents keep you on edge throughout. Rogue Incursion’s high-fidelity VR presentation is a knockout, with a level of visual detail and polish that puts it among the upper echelon of VR titles. You’ll know what we mean when you stare an encroaching alien in its dripping face and it feels like it’s mere inches away. The perfect organism Xenomorphs behave how you’d expect: they’re ominous and unpredictable. Sometimes they’ll slink through a doorway, upright and imposing. At other times they’ll drop to all fours, scuttling forward malevolently. They’re also highly mobile and seemed to take different routes depending on our position, clambering along walls and ceilings or dropping down from vents behind us. Knowing these threats can hit from any angle will keep your head swiveling as you scan the murky environments for threats, keeping your M41 pulse rifle trained on suspicious shapes lurking in the shadows. It all looks and feels ultra faithful to the first two films. On-body inventory The stakes are high, but Survios has you covered with a slick on-body inventory powered by the PS VR2’s Sense controllers. Reach over your right shoulder to grab your pulse rifle, clutch a healing stim from your left wrist, or draw a revolver from the holster on your hip. In just a few minutes, the intuitive inventory system became second nature, allowing us to keep our attention focused on encroaching hostiles and staying alive for a little while longer. There’s something moving and it ain’t us While there’s plenty of alien-blasting action, Rogue Incursion leaves ample room for quiet, tense moments where we bypassed locked doors or reprogrammed security discs to proceed further. Luckily, we were armed with the iconic Motion Tracker from the second film, and it’s something we quickly came to rely on. Reaching to our right bicep equipped the device, allowing us to track enemy (and ally) movements as we prowled the darkened corridors. This life-saving device can even be placed onto a surface to act as an extra set of eyes as you explore or reload your weapon. Don’t go off-world without it! Welcome to the retro-future The Alien universe’s technological aesthetic was solidified from the first moments we saw the Nostromo’s CRT computer monitors, chunky keyboards, and assorted analog gear. Survios pays thoughtful tribute to this tech, so expect to get up close and personal with plenty of 80’s-style gadgets in Rogue Incursion. The PDA tablet is a perfect example. Retrieved by reaching to your right arm, this handheld device can help you save your game and can be slotted into computers to download data. It also clunkily unfolds to reveal a large virtual touchscreen map, which in a clever touch can be scrolled through using your in-game finger. Elevator action Our hands-on session culminated in a frantic battle against waves of aliens as we waited for an elevator to arrive. We called on all of our gear and skills to hold the line. We blasted flammable barrels to ignite xenomorphs, under the watchful eye of our strategically placed Motion Tracker device. There were many intense close calls, usually forcing us to flee and heal or fumble fresh shells into our shotgun. Suddenly, a spiked tail burst through our chest, ending our game. But we didn’t dread a restart because the unpredictable actions of the aliens made each new attempt feel fresh and interesting. Devils in the details Survivos’s VR expertise was on full display throughout our play session. We were wowed by some of the small, thoughtful details that made the world feel complete, such as using your hand to wipe blood from our eyes or off a computer monitor. The game’s physicality is a huge asset, and as we grew accustomed to removing and replacing weapons and gear from our body, muscle memory took over and the feeling of reality crept in. Reloading a revolver? Press the Circle button to eject the cylinder and shake out the empty casings before reloading each individual bullet. Firing a pulse rifle? Be sure to stabilize the stock with your other hand, or the 10mm explosive-tip caseless rounds will launch into the ceiling instead of at the approaching alien. Needless to say, we were impressed. Get ready to step into the boots of space marine Zula Hendricks when Alien: Rogue Incursion deploys on PS VR2 on December 19. View the full article

When reimagining Black Iron Prison for a fast-action roguelike dungeon crawler, one of the first things we did was really let our designers run wild with the creatures in the game. We wanted a mix of familiar creatures from TCP and new baddies for players to battle — but everything had to make sense in the crazy comic-inspired future-punk world of [Redacted], which launches on October 31 on PS5. We’ve crammed [Redacted] with enemies, so I’m just gonna share some of the studio’s favorites. Play Video First up are Danglers, these guys originated in The Callisto Protocol but we took [Redacted]’s big comic book paintbrush to them. Danglers usually spawn in packs and crawl toward you, exploding when they get close and dealing serious damage. They’re weak, so stronger weapons can one-shot these guys, and you can use the GRP or kick to knock them into other enemies. Sounds easy right? Well, In early rooms they’re easy to clear, but they will definitely sneak up on you when things get hectic. And they come in four different flavors. The basic Danglers do an area of effect damage, but the Lightning, Fire, and Cryo versions get a bit tricky – when they’re killed they explode and leave a large electrical, fire, or cryo hazard in their wake. Make sure you don’t box yourself in. Next there’s the Cybernetic Switcher. They’re completely new for [Redacted]. We dreamed these guys up to force players to change their tactics on the fly. Cybernetic Switchers are fast melee enemies that attack in groups. The catch is that they can alternate blocking melee and ranged attacks – forcing you to change up your combat approach mid-fight. Or, you know, you can just kick them off a ledge, that works too. The Dasher, as the name suggests, dashes. It’s one of our fastest enemies, dashing from point to point while unleashing melee attacks. There’s also a variant that foregoes melee attacks and leaves grenades in its wake. Their speed makes it hard to pin down and defeat them, so keep moving to avoid their attacks and bully them into submission when there’s an opening. You can also use the GRP to stagger them and get in close to finish them off quickly. The next three enemies we haven’t even shown before and are located in the final levels of the game, so you know they’re gonna be challenging. And they all work in concert to make those last rooms a hell of a battle – but we’ll give you some tips to get you ready. The Crazed Prisoners inhabiting the prison are physically weak opponents – but they aren’t necessarily there to hurt you directly as they actively create distance from you. They spread chaos by lobbing gravity grenades into the thick of battle that suck you toward the epicenter which allows other enemies to focus their attacks on a single point. That single point is you. Dash to break free of the effect or face defeat. I recommend you take these enemies out quickly, but watch your back because the next two enemies we’re looking at are likely there too. The Robot Shaman isn’t actually magic but it can feel that way sometimes because it buffs surrounding enemies by granting them shields that you have to get through before damaging them. But the Robot Shaman isn’t without damage-dealing powers. It deploys a large electric dome that deals damage if you’re caught inside. You’ll need to quickly balance handling the newly shielded enemies, staying within striking distance to damage the shaman but not so close you’ll be caught in its electric dome. And finally, one of the other big bads from The Callisto Protocol, the Two-Head. They’re slow but big and deadly. We tweaked these heavily throughout the game’s development. The Two-Head evolved from a melee-focused character to a deadly ranged enemy that creates a large area of effect damage with additional damage over time. Oh, and it disorients you for a few seconds. Dodge their ground-pound attacks and get behind them to deal heavier backstab damage to take them down quickly. I wish I could tell you about all the enemies because we’re just scratching the surface, but there are too many to go over here. The great thing is, if you pre-order for PS5, you can discover and experience them for yourself right this second. Otherwise, [Redacted] launches on October 31 on PS5. View the full article